Romanian War of Independence
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The Romanian War of Independence was fought in 1877 against the Ottoman Empire.
On 4 April (Old Style) / 16 April 1877, Romania and Russia signed at Bucharest a treaty under which Russian troops were allowed to pass through Romanian territory, with the condition that Russia respect the integrity of Romania. The mobilization began, and about 120,000 soldiers were massed in the south of the country to defend against an eventual attack of the Ottoman forces from south of Danube. On 12 April (O.S.) / 24 April 1877, Russia declared war to the Ottoman Empire and its troops entered Romania.
At 9 May (O.S.) / 21 May, in the Romanian parliament, Mihail Kogălniceanu declared the independence of Romania as the will of the Romanian people and a day later the act was signed by King Carol I. A day later, the Romanian government canceled paying its tribute to Turkey (914,000 lei) and the sum was given instead to the War Minister.
Initially, Russia did not wish to cooperate with Romania, since they did not wish Romania to participate in the peace treaties after the war, but the Russians encountered a very strong Turkish army of 50,000 soldiers led by Osman Pasha at the Siege of Pleven (Plevna).
Due to great losses, Nikolai Konstantinovich, Grand Duke of Russia asked Carol I for the Romanian Army to intervene and fuse with the Russian Army.[1] Carol I accepted, and became the commander of the Romanian and marshal of the Russian troops, of which the combined forces had conquered Plevna after heavy fighting. The most important battles were at Grivica, Oryahovo, Opanez and Smirdan. Romania won the war, having about 10,000 casualties.
The armistice between Russia and the Ottoman Empire was signed in San Stefano, on 19 January 1878. Russia did not keep its promises of the 4 April 1877 treaty (signed by Russian consul Stuart Dimitri and Romanian prime minister Mihail Kogălniceanu) to respect Romania's territorial integrity. The peace treaty gave Romania its independence, the territories of Dobrogea, the Danube Delta, and Insula Serpilor, but Russia occupied the southern counties of Bessarabia (Cahul, Bolgrad and Ismail), which by the Treaty of Paris (1856, after the Crimean War) were included in Moldavia.
 Romanian plate commemorating victory at Plevna |
 Ahmed Pasha's sword: Romanian capture from Plevna |
 Edhem Pasha's sword: Romanian capture from Plevna |
 A closer view, showing an inscription on Edhem Pasha's sword after capture |
 Winchester Captured from Pleven |
 At upper right is Carol I's insignia as a Russian Field Marshal |
 Ottoman tui |
 First Cannon Fire |
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- The Plevna Delay by Richard T. Trenk, Sr. (Originally published in Man At Arms magazine, Number Four, August, 1997)
- The Romanian Army of the Russo-Turkish War 1877-78
- Grivitsa Romanian Mausoleum in Bulgaria
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ The telegram of Nikolai to Carol I (in Romanian): "Turcii îngrãmãdind cele mai mari trupe la Plevna ne nimicesc. Rog sã faci fuziune, demonstratiune si dacã-i posibil sã treci Dunãrea cu armatã dupã cum doresti. Între Jiu si Corabia demonstratiunea aceasta este absolut necesarã pentru înlesnirea miscãrilor mele" ("The Turks massed together the greatest troop at Pleven to lay us waste. I ask you to make mergers, demonstrations and if it is possible cross the Danube with the army as you wish. Between Jiu and Corabia, the demonstration is absolutely necessary to facilitate my movements.)
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